QA – Right angeled

Right angled triangle

1) One of the angle is equal to 90º, then it is called as right angled triangle. Rest two
angles are complementary to each other.

2) Let a, b and c be the three sides of a ABC and c is the largest side. Then c2 = a2 + b2.
This is called Pythagoras theorem.

Pythogorean Tripletes

The numbers which satisfy this relation - c2 = a2 + b2 – in a right angle triangle, are called
Pythagorean triplets. e.g., (3,4,5), (5,12,132), (7,24,25), (8,15,17), (9, 40, 41), (11, 60, 61),
(12, 35, 37), (16, 63, 65), (20, 21, 29), (28, 45, 53), (33, 56, 65).

Forming Pythagorean triplets

1) For odd numbers

 Take an odd number say n
 Square n : n2
 Write n2 = a + (a+1)
 Then the triplet is: n, a , (a+1)

For example say the smallest side is 11, then 112= 121 = 60+61. So 3 sides will be 11, 60 and 61

2) For even numbers

 Taken an even number say n

Square n : n2
 Write n2 = 2a
 Write 2a = (b-1) + (b+1); where b = a/2
 Square it, divide it by 2 & then divide it almost 2 equal parts.

For example smallest side= 8, 82=64, 64/2=32= (16-1)+(16+1)= 15+17. So 3 sides will be 8, 15 and 17

45º - 45º - 90º triangle theorem

If the angles of a triangle are 45º, 45º and 90º, then the hypotenuse (i.e., longest side) is √
times of any smaller side. Excluding hypotenuse rest two sides are equal, i.e., AB = BC and
AC = √ √

Proprietary and Confidential ABS Classes 1

QA – Right angeled

30 º – 60 º – 90º triangle theorem

If the angles of a triangle are 30º, 60º and 90º, then the sides opposite to 30º angle is half of
√
the hypotenuse and the side opposite to 60º is times the hypotenuse, e.g., Let ABC be a
√
right angled triangle right angled at B. Then AB = and BC ∴ AB : BC : AC = 1: √

If AB = a, then AC = 2a and BC = √ a

Perpendicular on hypotenuse
In a right angle ABC, ∠B = 90° and AC is hypotenuse. The perpendicular BD is dropped on
hypotenuse AC from right angle vertex B, then

(i) BD =

(ii) AD =

(iii) CD =

(iv) AD = =

Orthocentre

Proprietary and Confidential ABS Classes 2

QA – Right angeled

B is the meeting point of the 3 altitudes, AB, BC and BD and is therefore the
orthocenter of the triangle. Therefore orthocenter of a right angled triangle is the vertex
with the right angle.

Median to the hypotenuse

In a right angled triangle, the median to the hypotenuse = i.e. BN =

Isosceles right angle

In an isosceles right angle triangle, the median from the right angled vertex on the
hypotenuse is also the perpendicular bisector of the hypotenuse

B C

In one figure the altitude is drawn from the right angle to the hypotenuse whereas in the
other figure the right angle is joined to mid-point of the hypotenuse (median). The two
points on the hypotenuse need not coincide. Only in the case of an isosceles right angle
triangle the altitude and median will be the same line and the point on the hypotenuse will
coincide. In the figure on the right BD = AD = DC = circum-radii i.e. D is the circumcenter.

Inradius and Circumradius

In a right angled triangle Inradius (r) =

Circumradius (R.) = ( ) and Circumcentre is the midpoint of the hypotenuse

Proprietary and Confidential ABS Classes 3

QA – Right angeled

Solved Examples:

1) The base of a right angled triangle is 8 cm and hypotenuse is 17 cm. Find its area.

Hypotenuse = √

(17) = √

289 =

∴ Area =
(height is called altitude also)
=

2) The area of a right angled triangle is 24 cm2 and the length of its hypotenuse is 10
cm. The length of the shorter leg is :

Area

Proprietary and Confidential ABS Classes 4

QA – Right angeled

Again

Therefore by solving equation (1) and (2) we get

Therefore the shorter leg is 6cm.

Alternatively: Go through options.

Let us assume B = 6, then A=

Now,

Hence choice (c) is correct.

Proprietary and Confidential ABS Classes 5